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Freefall
"Freefall" is the seventeenth episode of Miami Vice's fifth season, and the series finale. The episode premiered on May 21, 1989. Summary Crockett & Tubbs are assigned to bring a Central American dictator into the US, in what could be their final assignment. Plot Part I (Syndicated) In riot-torn Costa Morada, General Manuel Borbon (Ian McShane) is speaking with reporters about his regime and the massive civil unrest; he answers with indifference and denies rumors he's leaving the country, before leaving with his aide-de-camp, Captain Jimindez (Robert Beltran). Meanwhile Caesar Montoya (Alfredo Alvarez Calderon), the head of the local drug cartel, goes to see a Borbon aide named Guzman, who is transporting $2 million of Borbon's money, and after some roughing up admits the money is going to the US. While Borbon & Jimindez talk about getting the general out, they receive a "gift" from Montoya - a coffin with Guzman's body in it, and a note threatening that the coffin is the only way he'll get out of the country. In Miami, Crockett & Tubbs are waiting for Ramon, a "two-bit gangster" completing a drug deal. When he comes out, a car chase ensues, but two large black vehicles cut Crockett & Tubbs off. The occupants come out, frisk them, and take them away. The Vice cops are led to a darkened theater, which lights up to reveal a group of people led by Colonel Andrew Baker (Sherman Howard) of the Special Drug Enforcement Task Force. Chief Richard Highsmith (Robert Fields) is brought in as well (in a similar manner to Crockett & Tubbs) and the three are given their "unofficial" mission: To bring Borbon back to the US, because he can provide "valuable information" to the government in bringing down the Medellin cartel in Costa Morada, a big step in stopping the flow of drugs into Miami. They want Borbon out before his country plunges into full-fledged revolution, and they will provide a contact with weapons to aid them. Crockett & Tubbs were "recommended" by Ramon (who's working with the government in exchange for a free walk on his charges) for their knowledge of undercover work, their experience with Latin American drug dealers and their integrity. Crockett & Tubbs are disgusted with the situation and walk out. While Switek phones in a bet at a payphone, Crockett meets Tubbs at Raoul's, where Tubbs muses that Borbon can bring important information to help curb the drug flow and that, for the first time, the Vice cops can make a difference. Crockett, cynical about all of this and feeling the mission is suicide, nevertheless agrees to join his partner. They head to Costa Morada and have trouble with Customs until a man named Ramirez, who claims he's with the Bureau of Tourism, steps up and helps them skip the line, and they ride with him to meet their contact. Montoya orders Jimindez to kill Borbon, Crockett and Tubbs, preventing the general from spilling his guts to DEA; he threatens Jimindez's family if he doesn't comply (despite Jimindez' closeness to Borbon). Ramirez stops in front of a building (with a crowd of angry demonstrators in the street) for Crockett and Tubbs to head inside and meet their contact. After a rock is thrown through the car, they spot Ramirez running away, and the Vice cops bolt from the car just before it explodes. Suddenly, another car shows up with a woman named Felicia (Elpidia Carillo), who says she's their contact, and they speed away. Borbon's finance minister speaks to the general about the money he's taking from the treasury. Borbon says the minister is as corrupt as he claims the general is, then calmly shoots him. Felicia explains that Borbon will be ready to leave the following night, but Crockett feels that, due to the rioting, the general needs to get out immediately. Felicia will set up a meet with his contact that night at El Coyote, which Crockett will attend, while Tubbs goes with Felicia to explore the escape route. Tubbs asks her why she is fighting to get Borbon out of the country, when it was he who has caused all the turmoil in the first place. She feels that removing him from the situation (and from power) will help the country heal. Crockett goes to El Coyote where he meets Bianca (Maria Strova), the general's daughter, and Jimindez, who is visibly uneasy when Crockett suggests moving Borbon's departure to tonight but agrees to do so. Bianca is holding a party with several VIP's; during the movie that will be shown they will have an opportunity to escape, and Jimindez gives them a map of the palace's layout, along with a recommended spot for going over the wall. Tubbs & Felicia find they're fighting the same things --drugs, gangs, and poverty-- and Tubbs expresses a wistfulness for New York. Crockett fills Tubbs in on his meet with Jimindez & Bianca, while the rebel forces are bringing in wounded from the battlefield and Felicia is attending to them; Tubbs realizes she's a nun. Crockett reviews the plans and can find no flaw, but is concerned about Jimindez' reaction to his accelerating the escape. They make preparations for the evening. Bianca overhears Jimindez' real plan: following Montoya's orders to kill her father, Crockett & Tubbs. She visits the captain and, after attempting to seduce him, lets him know what she heard; he locks her in his room while he goes forward with his plans. Meanwhile the operation to get Borbon out is underway, and he leaves during the movie. Crockett and Tubbs ignore Jimendez's suggestion about where to go over the wall, and realize they were right not to trust him when a convoy of soldiers shows up where they should have gone over. Jimindez and Borbon are stopped by Crockett, who lets the general know his aide-de-camp works for Montoya, and when Bianca arrives to back up their story, Tubbs shoots Jimindez and they escape into their waiting truck. Montoya's men shoot Borbon in the arm and kill Felicia, but they manage to escape. On the boat heading back to Miami, they fix up Borbon's wound and decide to bypass Baker's seaplane and hide Borbon themselves. Bianca thanks Crockett for saving her father's life, knowing he would rather have not; Crockett dismissively says it's his job, and that he learned a long time ago not to let his feelings get in the way. Bianca suspects otherwise. Baker & Highsmith meet near the waterway and Highsmith lets Baker know about rumors of Colombian hit teams heading to Miami to get himself and Borbon, but Baker is unconcerned. They plan to stash Borbon in a safehouse, and when Highsmith says he wants them out to prevent a bloodbath, Baker threatens to use his connections to ruin the Chief's political aspirations. Baker demands to know why Crockett & Tubbs haven't brought Borbon to their seaplane. Crockett says they were set up and Borbon took a bullet to prove it, so they have the general stashed in their own safe house, and plan to keep him there until Baker can straighten out his organization. Baker threatens to shut them down permanently if anything happens to Borbon; Crockett suggests he check out Ramon for a leak. Meanwhile, Montoya arrives in Miami, and Borbon is unhappy about his set up. That night, Montoya's men hit the safe house (which no one knows about except the Vice team); Crockett, Tubbs and Switek shoot the thugs, but Borbon disappears during the fight. Part II (Syndicated) Bianca is shaken up over the shooting, and says her father made a call that afternoon, but didn't know who it was to. She tells Crockett about money drawn from a Miami bank that was sent to her in Switzerland when she was at boarding school. Switek is cornered and beaten up by Montoya, saying he bought his gambling debts and demanding information about Borbon. Gina calls Crockett about a courier picking up $50,000 out of a bank account, and they see a woman (Anna Katarina) leaving with the money. Crockett & Tubbs follow them, finding him in Little Havana before more hitmen bust in and the Vice duo kills them all. At OCB, Castillo calls Switek into his office and asks him if he knew anything about the hit, expressing concern about his gambling habit making him vulnerable (and the fact that he didn't ask Switek about it previously). Switek is adamant he would never give up his partners or any info about Borbon's whereabouts, but Castillo suspends him indefinitely pending further investigation, to avoid any possibility of more leaks. Montoya, acting on a tip from Switek, sends his second-in-command Tito and two others to a waterfront building looking for Borbon, but what they get is Switek on video letting them know about his situation, that he has nothing to lose, and that the building will explode in 10 seconds. It doesn't, but when they run out Switek shoots all three of them down. Crockett & Tubbs go to see Izzy, whose "clothing-optional" cabana scam is going strong. Izzy tells them Johnny Miranda is recruiting for Montoya by offering "bust insurance". Tubbs goes to see Miranda while Crockett goes to see Borbon's accountant (who Borbon called at the safe house just before the hit). At Miranda's place, Tubbs gets rough before Montoya shows up. Crockett is at OCB where Trudy gets the file on Borbon's accountant. Crockett gets a call from Tubbs in obvious distress before Montoya gets on, saying he has 12 hours to deliver Borbon or Tubbs is dead. Crockett stops by Highsmith's house, letting him know about his phone call and demanding to know where Tubbs is. He talks about his conversation with Max Flynn, Highsmith's (and Borbon's) accountant, who sold Borbon out to Montoya and Highsmith to Borbon. Crockett has a detailed record of Montoya's payments to the Chief, and wonders how the voting public can accept a public servant making $80,000 a year who suddenly has luxury homes and cars. Highsmith goes for a gun and Crockett takes it away, letting the Chief know that if he doesn't give up Tubbs, Crockett will kill him. Tubbs is in a trailer, surrounded by Montoya & his men. Highsmith appears, wanting Montoya to bring Tubbs outside so he can trade for Borbon. Crockett shoots the man holding Tubbs, but Montoya shoots Highsmith. In the ensuing gunfight Crockett saves Tubbs, while SRT arrives and shoots down Montoya and his men, pumping so many bullets into the trailer that it collapses in upon itself. Crockett & Tubbs decide to take Borbon to the Feds, but are stopped at a roadblock and Ramon (playing both sides of the street) shoots Borbon and takes the body with him, saying the cartel will pay up, dead or alive. Borbon's body is found later in a ravine, "charred worse than Gina's meatloaf", but Crockett reads the autopsy report and finds the gunshot wound in the arm (from the escape) wasn't reported, and the coroner listed on the report didn't even perform the autopsy. Crockett & Tubbs bust in on Borbon's room and find his fiancee drowning in alcohol, saying he left her at the altar, and that Baker was behind everything, including hiring Ramon, faking Borbon's death and paying off the coroner's assistant for the fake autopsy. Crockett & Tubbs realize they have been "dropped in the trick bag" by someone high up in government, whom Borbon has considerable dirt on. They find out where the Feds have Borbon stashed; knowing it will be the end of their careers, Crockett & Tubbs arm up and head out to get Borbon and Ramon, who are boarding a seaplane surrounded by agents. The seaplane takes off just as Crockett & Tubbs arrive and storm through the shooters. Tubbs is hit but continues on, and they blow the plane out of the sky, killing Borbon and everyone else on board. The next morning an infuriated Baker shows up with his men, talking politics and covering up when things go wrong, how he has carte blanche for anything that happens, and considers shooting Crockett & Tubbs and pinning it on Borbon. Crockett challenges him to do it and they start to walk away. Baker promises to have their badges for this; a burned out Crockett & Tubbs throw down their shields in disgust and quit the force, despite Castillo's pleas to reconsider. Sometime later, Crockett leaves the St. Vitus Dance for the final time; Tubbs pulls up in a cab and they reminisice about their five-year run together. Tubbs intends to head back to New York, while Crockett decides to head further south. Crockett offers to drive Tubbs to the airport in his "stolen" Testarossa. The ending credits run over a montage of footage from the entire series. Cast *Don Johnson as Metro-Dade Detective James "Sonny" Crockett *Philip Michael Thomas as Metro-Dade Detective Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs *Saundra Santiago as Metro-Dade Detective Gina Calabrese *Michael Talbott as Metro-Dade Detective Stan Switek *Olivia Brown as Metro-Dade Detective Trudy Joplin *Edward James Olmos as Metro-Dade Lieutenant Martin "Marty" Castillo Guest Stars *Ian McShane as General Manuel Borbon *Robert Beltran as Captain Jimindez *Sherman Howard as Colonel Andrew Baker *Greg Germann as Johnny Ramon *Elpidia Carillo as Felicia *Maria Strova as Bianca Borbon *Rene Rivera as Amandez *Alfredo Alvarez Calderon as Caesar Montoya *Robert Fields as Police Chief Richard Highsmith *Anna Katarina as Borbon's Fiancee *Martin Ferrero as Izzy Moreno Co-Starring *Bill Cordell as Policeman *Xavier Coronel as Ramirez *Roy Datz as Priest *Sergio Dore as Immigration Man *Tamara Glynn as Young Woman *Pamela M. Stuart and Peter Lundquist as Reporters *Linda McNeill as Clerk *Roger Pretto as Miranda *Don Rincones as Finance Minister *Bobby Rodriguez as Guzman *Raul San and Andrew Castillo as Thugs Notes *The series finale, like the pilot "Brother's Keeper", aired on Sunday night. *In June, NBC moved the series to Wednesdays at 10:00pm to air three "lost" episodes and reruns through the series' final broadcast on July 26, 1989. The fourth "lost episode", "Too Much, Too Late", would not be aired until January of 1990 on USA Network, on a Thursday night. *''Miami Vice'' was one of the first shows to have a "Series Finale". Most shows of that era just quietly ended when they were cancelled, but when the classic show M*A*S*H's series finale became the top-rated show of all time in 1983, networks decided to start providing a definite "end" to a series, especially one as popular as Vice. *The story is loosely based on the "ripped from the headlines" goings-on of Manuel Noriega, military leader of Panama, who was ousted by the US military in 1990 amidst charges of drug dealing and corruption. *The scene involving Switek placing a bet from a payphone was not originally part of this episode; it was included in "Too Much, Too Late". However, as NBC never broadcast that episode due to it's controversial content, the scene was moved to the series finale to help explain why Montoya is able to exert influence over Switek. Consequently, the scene is used in both episodes. *Allegedly, three versions of the final confrontation between Baker and Crockett & Tubbs were filmed: The broadcast version where both quit the force, one where both Crockett & Tubbs are killed, and one where only Tubbs was killed. The decision to use what would be the broadcast version was allegedly due to the possible spinoff (from "Leap Of Faith") that Crockett/Tubbs would have made occasional appearances in had it been picked up. *Baker's ultimate threat to Crockett & Tubbs following the final shootout ("I'm gonna have your badges for this...!") seems a little restrained - the two police officers had just gunned down several government agents, a crime that, regardless of the corrupt nature of the case, would undoubtedly result in both men going to jail, if not worse. *Some of the riot scenes from Costa Morada look like they came from news stock footage of similar events in Central America, while the stock footage used in the firefights originates from "Stone's War". *When "Freefall" is aired in syndication, it is a two-part episode, just like the pilot "Brother's Keeper" and the Season 2 opener "The Prodigal Son". *Crockett tries the coin toss on Tubbs (which he's won every time), but Tubbs catches the coin and decides for himself (but still ends up losing as he is captured by Montoya). *We see the sign outside the doors of OCB and what it says: Organized Crime Bureau, Strategic Intelligence, Tactical Intelligence, Vice/Narcotics. *The shots of Crockett & Tubbs heading out into the night for their final showdown to Honeymoon Suite's "Bad Attitude" is reminiscent of, and probably an homage to, the iconic "In the Air Tonight" scene from the pilot "Brother's Keeper". *Castillo gives his final "staredown of doom" to Crockett & Tubbs for quitting the force. *Don Johnson is wearing a University of Kansas shirt under his sportcoat in the final scene. Johnson attended the school in his younger days. *The closing credits are in orange font instead of the usual white, are much longer, playing the Terry Kath song "Tell Me" instead of the "Miami Vice Theme", and show clips of the past five years of Miami Vice instead of the usual Miami stock landmark footage. *Strangely, despite the fact Tubbs is clearly shown loading up his Ithaca Stakeout and his Smith & Wesson Model 38 prior to the final confrontation with Borbon, he never uses either in the subsequent shootout, opting instead to use two SIG Sauer P226s he brings back from Costa Morada. *We see Crockett use a shotgun, the Armsel Striker he uses in the final gunfight, for the first time. We also see him use a conventional rifle, a Remington 700, when rescuing Tubbs from Montoya. *We also see that Crockett loads his Smith & Wesson Model 4506 with FEDERAL 230 grain Jacketed Hollow Points. *It is interesting to note that none of the photos in Crockett's locker are of Caitlin; all of them are of Caroline and Billy. Similarly, the photo of Crockett and Robbie Cann from their football days is gone. Production Notes *Filmed: April 3, 1989 - April 27, 1989 *Production Code: 63924 *Production Order: 111 Filming Locations *624 Collins Avenue / Collins Court - Collins Court north - 6th Street west - Washington Avenue south - 5th Street west - MacArhut Causeway / Watson Island - exit NE 13th Street - left North Bayshore Drive - Bicentennial Park (Crockett/Tubbs car chase with Ramon) *Club Deuce, 222 14th street, Miami Beach (interior of Raoul's) *Espanola Way, Miami Beach (Costa Morada Scenes, Crockett/Tubbs escape from their taxi) *Biltmore Hotel, 1200 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables (Crockett/Tubbs argue with Baker about keeping Borbon in their safe house) *4731 Pinetree Drive, Miami Beach (Safe House) *4400 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami (Banco Libre where Borbon's fiancee is withdrawing cash) *1700 James Avenue, Miami Beach (Borbon's house) *5100 Biscayne Boulevard (Crockett/Tubbs driving) *Hamilton on the Bay Condominiums 555 NE 34th Street, Miami (Building where Tubbs is held-exterior) *North of Jose Marti Park, 150 SW 4th Ave (SRT shootout at Montoya's trailer) *Under Rickenbacker Causeway Bridge (Crockett/Tubbs are stopped by Ramon and Borbon is shot; final scene shot) *Chalk's Ocean Airways/Watson Island am Mac Arthur Causeway (Crockett/Tubbs shoot down Borbon's plane) *Next to Miamarina @ Bayside, downtown Miami (Final Scene with Crockett/Tubbs) Music *"Year Zero" by King Swamp (Car chase involving Crockett & Ramon) *"Cryin' Shame" by Lyle Lovett (Crockett & Tubbs in Raoul's) *"Bugle Call Rag" by Glenn Miller Orchestra (Playing in movie) *"Ship Of Fools" by Robert Plant (Returning from Costa Morada) *"Land Of Confusion" by Genesis (Switek's encounter with Montoya & Crockett & Tubbs follow woman from bank) *"Bad Attitude" by Honeymoon Suite (Showdown scene) *"Tell Me" by Terry Kath (End titles with scenes from series) Tim Truman Music *"No Way Out", vocals by Don Johnson (Crockett & Tubbs arrive in Costa Morada) *"Shoot You Right Now" (Baker threatens to shoot Crockett/Tubbs and pin on Borbon) *"Freefall" (Final scene between Crockett/Tubbs) Episode Ending thumb|300px|right|The final scene and end credits from "Freefall". As previously stated, the end credits for this episode are significantly extended and set to clips taken from episodes across the entire series. Below is a list of the clips used and which episode each originates from. *Aerial shot of Daytona- "Yankee Dollar" *Daytona speeding through night- stock footage used in "Heart of Darkness," "Cool Runnin'", "Calderone's Return (Part I)" and "Give A Little, Take A Little" *Daytona tearing through the streets- "Brother's Keeper" *Castillo briefing- "Whatever Works" *Gina & Trudy on stakeout- "Heroes Of The Revolution" *Castillo sitting in nightclub- "Borrasca" *Switek & Zito drawing guns- "Little Prince" *Crockett draws gun on Switek- "Glades" *Switek on stage- "Give A Little, Take A Little" *Zito kisses fishbowl- "Made For Each Other" *Switek and Zito watching Elvis Presley on TV- "Made for Each Other" *Zito pushing Switek in wheelchair- "Made for Each Other" *Castillo in Daytona- "The Home Invaders" *Castillo at home- "Bushido" *Crockett's dream- "Mirror Image" *Infuriated Trudy - "Hell Hath No Fury..." *Gina backlit by projector- "When Irish Eyes Are Crying" *Strung out Trudy with Gina- "Little Prince" *Gina & Trudy in dressing room- "Give A Little, Take A Little" *Crockett & Tubbs getting shot at- "Whatever Works" *Tubbs firing shotgun- "The Prodigal Son" *Crockett firing submachine gun- "Calderone's Return (Part II)" *Gina firing- "Little Prince" *Castillo firing- "The Home Invaders" *Crockett firing- "When Irish Eyes Are Crying" *Switek firing- "Down For The Count (Part II)" *Trudy firing- "Asian Cut" *Crockett firing- "Deliver Us From Evil" *Tubbs firing- "Deliver Us From Evil" *Boat exploding- "Redemption In Blood" *Limo exploding- "Borrasca" *House exploding- "Milk Run" *Burnett touches mirror- "Mirror Image" *Tubbs using hand mirror- "Lend Me An Ear" credits start *Crockett on Daytona's car phone- "Rites of Passage" *Tubbs tied up- "The Maze" *Crockett and Gina at lockers- "Like A Hurricane" *Switek finds Zito dead- "Down For The Count (Part I)" *Crockett and Tubbs in boat chase- "Lend Me An Ear" *Izzy herding dogs- "When Irish Eyes Are Crying" *Sand pile landing on car- "Definitely Miami" *Limo passes Crockett and Tubbs- "Definitely Miami" *Tubbs dangling from catwalk- "Redemption In Blood" *Burnett entering OCB- "Redemption in Blood" *Gina and Trudy bringing food platters onto yacht- "Phil the Shill" *Crockett and Tubbs catch Izzy- "The Great McCarthy" *Crockett and Tubbs shirtless- "Calderone's Return (Part II)" *Tubbs with Switek in drag- "Back in the World" *Elvis scaring Tubbs- "Brother's Keeper" *Crockett and Tubbs punching each other- "Brother's Keeper" *Daytona blown up- "When Irish Eyes Are Crying" *Crockett running through field- "The Prodigal Son" *Crockett and Switek sneaking through house- "Lend Me An Ear" *Gina and Trudy walking- "The Cell Within" *Crockett and Tubbs running- "The Great McCarthy" *Trudy running with gun- "Hell Hath No Fury..." *Tubbs and Switek vault over railing- "Line Of Fire" *Crockett dragging Izzy in captain's uniform- "Whatever Works" *Switek and Zito fixing Bug Van- "Rites of Passage" *Crockett blowing up helicopter- "Line Of Fire" *Tubbs firing- "By Hooker By Crook" *Fishtanks shattering- "By Hooker By Crook" *Building explodes- "The Prodigal Son" *Houseboat exploding and blinding Crockett- "Smuggler's Blues" *Crockett seeing car bomb and getting blown back by explosion- "Brother's Keeper" *Castillo sighing- "Glades" *Switek tearfully embracing a dead Zito- "Down For The Count (Part I)" *Gina and Trudy upset- "Mirror Image" *Crockett and Tubbs shaking hands- "Freefall" Quotes *"Yeah, social life in the 80's, isn't it a kick?" -- Tubbs to Crockett *"General, wha -- what are you doing?" "Electing a new finance minister!" (fires gun) -- Borbon's response to accusations of financial impropriety by Costa Morada's finance minister *"Get cable, it's cheaper." -- Tubbs advice to a woman about to fall prey to one of Izzy's scams involving spiritual "channelling" *"I have these very important friends in the national GOP, and if you want to run for anything more prestigious than dog catcher, you're gonna need their help!" -- Baker to Highsmith *"If you don't tell me where they have my partner, I'm going to turn that pretty wall into an expressionist painting!" -- Crockett to Highsmith *"Do it, if you've got the stones!" -- Crockett to Baker after Baker threatens to shoot him & Tubbs and pin it on Borbon Category:Miami Vice Season 5 Episodes